The present invention relates to apparatus for assuming and maintaining secure control of an aircraft in the event of an emergency condition, such as any incapacity of the pilot(s) or an intended, attempted or actual attack upon the pilot(s) of the aircraft, or upon the aircraft itself.
There are many situations in which an emergency condition may exist on-board an aircraft. For example, the pilot or pilots may be incapacitated due to a sudden loss of cabin pressure, a sudden illness, an intentional biological, chemical or physical attack upon the pilot, a collision, a fire, an explosion or even a missile attack.
In the event of an emergency condition of the type described above, wherein the pilot is unable to properly maintain control the aircraft, the aircraft, crew and passengers can be saved if the aircraft is brought down to a safe landing, guided by some alternate source of aircraft control. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,917,863 discloses a method and system for assuming and maintaining secure remote control of an aircraft in the event of an actual or potential aircraft hijacking or other emergency condition such as incapacity of the pilot(s) due to illness or injury. The U.S. Patent Publication No. US2006/0032978 discloses a number of scenarios which, in the event of a hijacking or other incapacity of the pilot(s), entail an early autopilot/flight control computer control phase, followed by a later remote pilot control phase, whereby personnel on the ground or in another aircraft can assist in bringing the aircraft down for a safe landing at a desired location. The U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/373,712 discloses and claims a method and system for disabling on-board pilot control of a non-fly-by-wire aircraft in the event of an emergency condition.
The present invention relates to methods and systems for determining whether an emergency condition due to operator incapacity exists on-board an aircraft, or some other type of machine. More particularly, the invention concerns a method and system for “pilot assessment”: an assessment to determine the moment-to-moment fitness of an aircraft pilot. If the pilot is found to be unfit or unable to control the aircraft, control of the aircraft may be taken away from the pilot.
The present invention is applicable not only to aircraft but also to any situation where a person is responsible for operating a machine, especially where incapacity of the person to operate the machine may result in personal injury or damage to property. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the machine may be any type of transport vehicle, such as an automobile, truck, tank, unmanned ground vehicle, train, watercraft (manned or remotely controlled) or an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) or system, in addition to a conventional aircraft with an onboard pilot. The “machine” may also be a control system, such as the Air Traffic Control System, which controls or results in controlling other persons or systems that may cause death or injury, or damage to property, if not operated properly.